Tray and dolly

ABSTRACT

A container includes a card holder having a flap portion for retaining a card against the exterior of one wall of the container. The card holder is snap-fit to the wall and pivotable relative to the wall. The flap portion is biased against the wall in order to retain the card. A complementary dolly includes a deck having recesses for receiving the casters of a similar dolly stacked thereon. The recesses automatically align rotatable casters as they are inserted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a stackable and nestabletray.

There are known containers that are nestable when oriented alike andstackable when oriented 180 degrees relative to one another. Opposingwalls of the containers are complementary, such that walls of a lowercontainer will support a similar container stacked thereon in the 180degree orientation.

One such container includes a holder for a card on the exterior of oneend wall. The holder includes a small, flexible, clear plastic flapsecured to the wall by rivets only at the lower end. The flap can bebent downward to insert (or remove) a card that identifies the contentsof the container. Automated handling equipment bends the card holderflap to remove and replace the cards. Over time, the flap eventuallybreaks after repeated flexing.

Some containers include a complementary dolly for transporting a stackof loaded containers or empty containers. The dolly has two fixedcasters and two casters that pivot about a vertical axis. The uppersurface of the dolly includes recesses for receiving the casters of asimilar dolly, such that they can be stacked when not in use. However,because two of the casters are rotatable, the user often has to rotatethe rotatable casters to align them with the recesses on the dollybelow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a container having an improved cardholder that is more durable and can withstand repeated use withoutfatigue. The card holder in one embodiment includes a flap for holdingthe card. The flap is connected to the container by a hinge. The hingeincludes a hinge pin and a hinge receiver that permit the card holder topivot, rather than bend. Flexible arms bias the sheet toward the closedposition to retain the card.

A complementary dolly is also provided with recesses on its uppersurface for automatically rotating the rotatable casters of a similardolly stacked thereon to ensure proper alignment.

Although the card holder and the dolly are both disclosed in the contextof a 180 degree stack/nest container, both the card holder and the dollycould be used with other types of containers and both could be used withor without one another.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated asthe same becomes better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container according to a firstembodiment of the present invention, with the card holder in the closedposition.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view the container of FIG. 1, with the card holderin the open position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective interior view of the card holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective exterior view of the card holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the card holder of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective exterior view of the container of FIG. 1 withoutthe card holder.

FIG. 7 is a perspective interior view of the container of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective exterior view of the container of FIG. 1, withthe card holder in the closed position.

FIG. 9 is a section view through the end wall of the container of FIG.1, with the card holder in the closed position.

FIG. 10 is a section view through the end wall of the container of FIG.1, with the card holder in the closed position.

FIG. 11 is a section view through the end wall of the container of FIG.1, with the card holder in the open position.

FIG. 12 is an upper perspective view of a container according to asecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a lower perspective view of the container of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a lower perspective view of the container of FIG. 12, withoutthe card holder.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged bottom view of the end wall of the container ofFIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a perspective interior view the container of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the interior surface of the card holderof FIG. 12.

FIG. 18 is a bottom view of the card holder of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a side view of the card holder of FIG. 17.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged bottom view of the end wall of the container ofFIG. 12.

FIG. 21 is a section view through the center of the end wall of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is an alternate section view through the end wall of FIG. 20.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a dolly that can be used to carry aplurality of the containers of FIGS. 1-11 and/or FIGS. 12-22.

FIG. 24 is a top perspective view of the dolly of FIG. 23

FIG. 25 illustrates the alignment of casters from a dolly stacked on thedolly of FIG. 23.

FIG. 26 is a bottom perspective view of the dolly of FIG. 23.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1-11 illustrate a container 10 according to a first embodiment ofthe present invention. The container 10 includes a base 12, a pair ofopposed side walls including side wall 14, and a pair of opposed endwalls including end wall 16. In order to provide the 180 degree stackingand nesting functionality, the side walls and end walls includealternating inward and outward offset portions 18. The offset portions18 on the opposed side walls and opposed end walls are arranged suchthat a like container will nest in the container 10 if rotationallyaligned and will stack on the container if rotated 180 degrees relativeto the container 10.

The container 10 includes a card holder 20 connected by a hinge 22 atits lower end to the end wall 16. In FIG. 1, the card holder 20 is shownin the closed position with a card 50 retained between the card holder20 and the end wall 16. The card 50 includes indicia 52 of the contentsof the container 10. The indicia 52 may be text and/or computer readableindicia, such as a barcode. The card holder 20 is clear plastic so thatthe indicia 52 is readable through the card holder 20. As shown in FIG.2, the card holder 20 can be pivoted about the hinge 22 to an openposition so that a card can be inserted or removed from behind the cardholder 20.

The card holder 20 is shown in FIGS. 3-5. The card holder 20 includes aflap 26 connected to a hinge pin 28 by a plurality of tabs 30. The tabs30 extend at an obtuse angle from the flap portion 26 and are spacedapart by openings 34 and arches 32.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the container 10 without the card holder 20.Cantilevered arms 40 form hinge receivers between recesses 42. Each ofthe recesses 42 is defined by a corresponding arch 32 protruding intothe interior of the container 10. Each of the arches 32 includes acenter opening 44.

As shown in FIG. 8, the card holder 20 is attached to the container 10by snapping the hinge pin 28 under the hinge receivers formed by thearms 40 on the container 10 (FIG. 9). The arches 32 of the card holder20 are received in the openings 44 of the recesses 42 on the container10 (FIG. 10).

As shown in FIG. 11, in use the card holder 20 is pulled to the openposition (shown) so that a card 50 with information printed or storedthereon can be inserted behind the flap 26. When the card holder 20 ispivoted outward, the arches 32 of the card holder 20 are compressed,such that the arches 32 bias the flap 26 back toward the closed positionwhen the flap 26 is released. The card 50 can then be read through theflap 26. Note that the flap 26 itself need not be flexible.

The card holder 20 is more durable than the previous card holder, evenafter being opened and closed many times. Additionally, if the cardholder 20 does break, it is easily replaced, unlike the previous cardholder.

A container 110 and a card holder 120 according to a second embodimentof the present invention is shown in FIGS. 12-22. Referring to FIG. 12,the container 110 includes side walls 114 and end walls 116, 117. Thecontainer 110 includes offset portions 118 such that the container 110includes the 180 degree stack/nest feature as does the previousembodiment. The card holder 120 is clear plastic so that the indicia 52on the card 50 is readable through the card holder 120.

As shown in FIG. 13, the end wall 116 includes a plurality of verticalslots 150 to which the card holder 120 is attached. The container 110includes a base cover 112 providing a smooth lowermost surface.

FIGS. 14-16 show the container 110 without the card holder 120 andwithout the base cover 1 12. The container 110 includes base wall 113having a plurality of cross ribs 115 to which the base cover 112 (FIG.13) can be secured. The vertical slots 150 in the end wall 116 opendownward and are contiguous with openings 152 through the base wall 113.

FIGS. 17-19 show the card holder 120. The card holder 120 is molded of aclear plastic and includes a flap 126 integrally molded with connectors156. Each connector 156 includes a rib 158 connecting a flange 156 tothe flap 126. Each flange 156 includes an enlarged base 168. The flap126 includes a portion of increased thickness 170 around each connector156 to increase strength and to make the flap 126 fit tightly againstthe tub end wall surface.

Referring to FIGS. 20-22, the card holder 120 is connected to thecontainer 110 by sliding the connectors 156 into the openings 152. Theribs 158 slide into the vertical slots 150 until the enlarged base 168of each connector 156 snaps past the base wall 113 (FIG. 22).

In use, the card holder 120 is pulled outward away from the end wall 116so that a card 50 (FIG. 12) can be inserted.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a dolly 80 that can be used to carry aplurality of the containers 10, 110 of FIGS. 1-22. The dolly 80 includesa deck 82 having a generally continuous center upper wall 83 andplurality of protruding locators 84 located around the periphery of thedeck 82 and in the center of the deck 82. The locators 84 around theperiphery are spaced apart by open, ribbed areas 85. The upper surfaceof the deck 82 further includes a plurality of recesses 86 each alignedwith casters 88, 89 on the lower side of the deck 82, such that thecasters 88, 89 of a similar dolly stacked thereon would be received inthe recesses 86 as will be explained below. The casters 88 each freelyrotate about an axis perpendicular to the deck 82. The casters 89 arefixed in a fixed orientation relative to the axis perpendicular to thedeck 82. The dolly 80 could alternatively have four rotatable casters88. As shown in FIG. 20, the recesses 86 each include a pair of curvedor spherical segments 90 separated by tapered dividers 92.

As shown in FIG. 25, when a similar dolly (only the casters 88′, 89′ areshown) is stacked on the dolly 80, the rotational positions of therotatable casters 88 will be re-aligned by the tapered dividers 92 intothe recesses 86. The fixed casters 89′ on the dolly will be received inthe recesses 86 between the tapered divides 92. Thus the dollies can bestacked without regard for orientation of the casters 88, 89, whichdirection the dolly is oriented and whether the dolly has four rotatablecasters 88′ or two.

FIG. 26 is a bottom perspective view of the dolly 80. As shown, thebottom of each of the locators 84 is open. However, the open, ribbedareas 85 (FIG. 24) are open so that most of the peripheral portions 93of the bottom of the deck 82 can be substantially closed (other thansmall drainage holes). The closed peripheral portions 93 of the bottomof the deck 82 facilitates handling by automated handling equipment. Theclosed peripheral portions 93 correspond to the open, ribbed areas 85(FIG. 23) on the upper side of the deck 82. The closed locators 84 onthe top of the deck 82 (FIG. 23) correspond the open areas. Theremainder of the underside of the deck 82 is defined by ribs 95extending downwardly from the upper wall 83 (FIG. 23) of the deck 82.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, aworker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certainmodifications would come within the scope of this invention. For thatreason, the following claims should be studied to determine the truescope and content of this invention.

1. A container comprising: a floor; a first wall extending upward fromthe floor; and a card holder snap-fit to the first wall and pivotablerelative to the first wall, the card holder including a flap portion. 2.The container of claim 1 wherein the flap portion is clear.
 3. Thecontainer of claim 1 wherein the card holder is a clear plastic.
 4. Thecontainer of claim 1 wherein a similar container can be nested thereinwhen oriented similarly and can be stacked thereon when oriented 180degrees relative thereto.
 5. The container of claim 1 wherein the cardholder is pivotably secured to the first wall by a hinge, the hingeincluding a hinge pin snap-fit into a hinge receiver.
 6. The containerof claim 5 wherein the hinge pin is integrally molded with the cardholder.
 7. The container of claim 6 wherein the hinge receiver is formedin the first wall.
 8. The container of claim 7 wherein the first wallincludes at least one arm forming the hinge receiver.
 9. The containerof claim 1 wherein the card holder includes at least one integrallymolded connector received in a slot in the first wall.
 10. The containerof claim 9 wherein the slot in the first wall is a vertical slot openingdownward.
 11. The container of claim 10 wherein the connector snap-fitspast the floor to connect the card holder to the container.
 12. Thecontainer of claim 1 further including a card with indicia between thecard holder and the first wall.
 13. The container of claim 1 furtherincluding second, third and fourth walls extending upward from the floorto define an interior compartment of the container with the first wall.14. A dolly comprising: a deck having a plurality of recesses formed inan upper surface thereof, the recesses each including two curvedportions partially separated by tapered dividers; and a plurality ofcasters extending downward from the deck, each aligned with one of theplurality of recesses.
 15. The dolly of claim 14 wherein the casters arerotatable about an axis perpendicular to the deck.
 16. The dolly ofclaim 14 wherein the plurality of casters include two casters rotatableabout an axis perpendicular to the deck and two fixed casters.
 17. Thedolly of claim 14 further including a plurality of locators protrudingupwardly from a periphery of the deck.
 18. The dolly of claim 14 furtherincluding a substantially closed peripheral portion about the peripheryof the underside of the deck.
 19. The dolly of claim 18 wherein the deckincludes an upper panel down from which a plurality of ribs extend, theperipheral portion corresponding to an upper periphery extending aroundthe periphery of the upper panel, the upper periphery being primarilyopen, with ribs extending therethrough.
 20. The dolly of claim 19further including a plurality of locators protruding upward from theupper periphery of the deck, the locators opening downwardly.
 21. Acontainer comprising: a floor; a plurality of walls extending upwardfrom the floor to define an interior compartment, the plurality of wallsincluding a first wall, the first wall including an integrally moldedhinge receiver; and a card holder including a flap portion and anintegrally molded hinge pin snap-fit into the hinge receiver.
 22. Thecontainer of claim 21 wherein the flap portion is clear.
 23. Thecontainer of claim 21 further including a card having indicia thereon,the card retained between the flap portion and the first wall, theindicia readable through the flap portion.
 24. The container of claim 21wherein the hinge pin is connected to the flap portion by a flexiblearch, the arch biasing the flap portion toward the first wall.